Valve mechanism



Feba '7', D. ADAMS 294969512 VALVE MECHANISM Filed Sept. 50, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet l Feb, 7,. 3.95% D. ADAMS 294969532 VALVE MECHANISM Filed Sept. 30, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dav/d Adass IN VENTOR.

Feb 7 11956 D. ADAMS 2,496,512

VALVE MECHANISM Filed Sept. 30, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.3.

Patented Feb. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a valve mechanism and more particularly to a valve mechanism for a multiple cylinder engine of the multiple piston type.

The primary object of the invention is to actuate the intake and exhaust valves of a pair of spaced parallel engine cylinders alternately to permit a charge of fresh combustible mixture to be admitted to the cylinders, fired in a conventional manner and subsequently discharged from the respective cylinders through an exhaust port which aligns with the intake port.

Another object is to employ but a single operating element for the intake and exhaust valves of adjacent cylinders. Still further objects of the invention include so supporting the valve actuating elements of an engine of the above mentioned type as to render such mechanism readily accessible for replacement and repair.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features spaced parallel cylinders each having aligned intake and exhaust ports which lie in axial alignment, poppet valves for each port, yielding means holding the said valves in port closing position, aligned opposed valve stems extending through the ports and a rock arm mounted between each pair of cylinders in an are which lies in a plane of the axes of the valve stems alternately to move the valve stems and open the valves against the effort of their respective yielding means.

Other features include a cam shaft mounted adjacent the cylinders to rotate about an axis which lies parallel to the axes of the ports and cams on the cam shaft adjacent each rock arm to oscillate their respective rock arms and alternately open the valves.

Still other features include means connecting the cam shaft with the drive shaft of the engine for rotating the cam shaft in timed relation with the movements of the pistons in the cylinders.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a front view of an engine embodying the features of this invention showing a portion of the enclosing gear casing broken away more clearly to illustrate certain details of construction;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal view of the engine showing the top cover plate removed and portions of the cylinders in section;

Figure 3 is a Sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 2 on a somewhat enlarged scale;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 3 illustrating the rock arm moved into a position to open the intake port of one of the cylinders, said view being on a still greater enlarged scale;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the underside of the engine showing the cam shaft and rock arm for one pair of cylinders, and;

Figure '7 is a perspective view of one of the rock arms.

Referring to the drawings in detail, an engine of the multiple cylinder multiple piston type designated generally lll is equipped with spaced parallel horizontally disposed cylinders 12 in which pistons i l are mounted to reciprocate in a conventional manner. These pistons are connected through the medium of conventional connecting rods it to the cranks l8 of crank shafts 2% which are mounted in suitable bearings 22 on opposite sides of the engine to rotate about spaced parallel axes all in a conventional manner. The crank shafts 20 are extended beyond the forward end of the casing of the engine it and have fixed thereto for rotation therewith drive gears 22 for driving the cam shaft to be more fully hereinafter described.

Each cylinder is provided substantially midway between opposite ends with an intake port 24 which aligns axially with an exhaust port 26 through which the spent gases are discharged from the cylinders in a conventional manner. A suitable internally screw threaded opening 28 extends radially through each cylinder, and its axis intersects the axes of the ports 24 and 26 at the point of intersection with the longitudinal axis of their respective cylinders. Conventional spark plugs 30 are threaded into the openings 28 for the purpose of igniting charges of combustible material compressed in the cylinders between the pistons 54.

The cylinders as illustrated are preferably arranged in spaced parallel relation to lie along horizontal axes which lie in the same horizontal plane and enclosing the cylinders thus arranged is a conventional water jacket, the bottom Wall 32 of which is provided at spaced intervals with elongated slots 34 which lie between adjacent cylinders perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of said cylinders. A suitable elongated housing 36 extends through each slot 34 and is removably coupled to the bottom wall32 by suitable screws 37. The upper ends of the housings 36 lie in a common plane above the level of the horizontal axes of the cylinders l2, and fitted in opposite end walls of the housing 36 are guide bushings 38, which align axially with the ports 24 and 26. Opposite side walls of the housings 36 are provided with depending cars 46 which extend below the bottom face of the wall 32 of the water jacket and are pierced with aligning openings 42 for the reception of pivot pins 44 upon which the rock arms to be more fully hereinafter described, are mounted.

Mounted for sliding movement in the guide bushings 38 are the valve stems 46 of poppet valves 48, the heads of which are disposed within the cylinders in closing relation to the intake and exhaust ports 24 and 26, while the valve stems 46 extend through their respective ports and the guide bushings 38 into the housings 36 in opposed relation as will be readily understood upon reference to Figures 3 and 4. Surrounding the portion of each valve stem 46 which extends into a housing 36 is a compression coil spring 56, one end of which bears against a bushing 38 while the opposite end bears against a suitable stop collar 52 which is fixed against longitudinal movement along its respective valve stem adjacent the end of the stem remote from its respective head 48 so that the springs will tend to hold the valves in port closing position. Surrounding the valve stems 46 of the valves for the intake ports 24 and extending between one end wall of each housin 36 and an adjacent cylinder is an intake conduit 54 while an exhaust conduit 56 surrounds the valve stem 46 which enters the opposite end wall of the housing and extends between the housing 36 and the next adjacent cylinder as will be readily understood upon reference to Figures 3 and 4.

Mounted for rocking movement on each pivot pin 44 is a rock arm designated generally 58 which comprises a lever arm 60 which is provided adjacent its lower ends with oppositely extending feet 62 and 64. A head 56 is carried at the upper end of the lever arm 60 and lies between adjacent ends of the opposed valve stems 46. The arm 60 is provided adjacent its lower end between adjacent ends of the feet 62 and 64 with take and exhaust ports 24 and 26 respectively.

Mounted in suitable bearings 76 which are secured in any suitable manner to the underside 'of the bottom wall 32 of the water jacket and extending along an axis which lies directly beneath the axes of the ports 26 is a cam shaft 12 which is provided at longitudinally spaced intervals with pairs of spaced cams I4 and 16 which as illustrated in the drawings are adapted respectively to engage the undersides of the feet '62 and 64 and cause the rock arm 58 to oscillate at the proper intervals through its arc and alternately move the valve heads 48 against the effort of their respective springs into port opening position. The forward end of the cam shaft 12 is equipped with a suitable gear 18 which has meshing engagement with the drive gears 22, so

that the cam shaft 12 will be driven in timed relation with the crank shafts 26.

A suitable lubricant conduit 18 is coupled at one end to the conventional lubricating pump of the engine and is provided at spaced intervals with spaced parallel legs 86 which extend upwardly adjacent opposite ends of each housing 36 and are joined at their upper ends within the housings by means of a perforated conduit section 82 which serves when the engine is in operation to discharge lubricant onto the valve stems, the rock arm 58 and the earns 14 and 16, to supply lubricant in adequate quantities to the moving parts of the valve mechanism.

In the preferred form of the invention the valve stem 46 which extends through each exhaust port 26 carries intermediate its ends and within its respective exhaust manifold 56 a shield 84 which serves to protect its respective bushing and that portion of the valve stem which extends therethrough from damage by the hot gases which are expelled through the exhaust port into its respective exhaust manifold 56.

In operation it will be understood that as the crank shafts 20 rotate, the cam shaft 12 will be driven through the gears 22 and 18 in timed relation with the movements of the pistons 14 within the cylinders l2. Such motion of the cam shaft 12 will cause the cams l4 and I6 alternately to engage their respective feet 62 and 64 to cause the rock arm 58 to oscillate and alternately move the valve heads 48 to uncover the intake and exhaust ports 24 and 26. By reason of the fact that the cam shaft 72 is carried longitudinally beneath the engine, and the fact that the housings 36 open downwardly through the bottom wall 32 of the water jacket it is obvi ous that the parts are readily accessible for replacement or repair by simply removing the bottom portion of the crank case of the engine.

While in the foregoin there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed r as new is:

1. In a multiple cylinder engine of the multiple piston type in which the cylinders lie in spaced parallel relation and each cylinder has an intake port and an exhaust port in axial alignment with the intake port and the ports of the cylinders lie in substantial alignment, valve mechanism for said engine which includes a poppet valve for each port, yielding means holding said valve in port closing position, aligned opposed valve stems extendin through the ports, a rock arm mounted to rock between each pair of cylinders in an are which lies in the plane of the axes of the valve stems alternately to move the valve stems and open the Valves against the effort of their respective yielding means, a cam shaft mounted adjacent the cylinders to rotate about an axis which lies parallel to the axes of the ports and cams on the cam shaft adjacent each rock arm to oscillate their respective rock arms and alternately open the valves.

2. In a multiple cylinder engine of the multiple piston type having drive shafts operatively connected with said pistons in which the cylinders lie in spaced parallel relation and each cylinder has an intake port and an exhaust port in axial alignment with the intake port and the ports of the cylinders lie in substantial alignment, valve mechanism for said engine which includes a poppet valve for each port, yielding means holding said valves in port closing position, aligned 0pposed valve stems extending through the ports, a rock arm mounted to rock between each pair of cylinders in an arc which lies in the plane of the axes of the valve stems alternately to move the valve stems and open the valves against the effort of their respective yielding means, a cam shaft mounted adjacent the cylinders to rotate about an axis which lies parallel to the axes of the ports, cams on the cam shaft adjacent each rock arm to oscillate their respective rock arms and alternately open the valves, and means connecting the cam shaft with the drive shafts of the engine for rotating the cam shaft in timed relation with the movements of the pistons in the cylinders.

3. In a multiple cylinder engine of the multiple piston type in which the cylinders lie horizontally in spaced parallel relation and each cylinder has midway between opposite ends an intake port and an aligned exhaust port and the ports in the cylinders lie in substantial alignment, valve mechanism for said engine which includes a poppet valve for each port, yielding means holding said valves in port closing position, a rock arm mounted below each pair of cylinders to rock in an are between its respective pair of cylinders which arc lies in the plane of the axes of the valve stems alternately to move the valve stems and open the valves against the effort of their respective yielding means, a cam shaft mounted below the cylinders to rotate about an axis which lies parallel to the axes of the ports and cams on the cam shaft adjacent each rock arm to oscillate their respective rock arms and alternately open the valves.

4. In a multiple cylinder engine of the multiple piston type having drive shafts operatively connected with said pistons in which the cylinders lie horizontally in spaced parallel relation and each cylinder has midway between opposite ends an intake port and an aligned exhaust port and the ports in the cylinders lie in substantial alignment, valve mechanism for said engine which includes a poppet valve for each port, yielding means holding said valves in port closing position, a rock arm mounted below each pair of cylinders to rock in an arc between its respective pair of cylinders which are lies in the plane of the axes of the valve stems alternately to move the valve stems and open the valves against the effort of their respective yielding means, a cam shaft mounted below the cylinders to rotate about an axis which lies parallel to the axes of the ports, cams on the cam shaft adjacent each rock arm to oscillate theirrespective rock arms and alternately open the valves, and means connecting the cam shaft with the drive shafts of the engine for rotating the cam shaft in timed relation to the movements of the pistons in the cylinders.

5. In a multiple cylinder engine of the multiple piston type in which the cylinders lie in spaced parallel relation and each cylinder has an intake port and an exhaust port in axial alignment with the intake port and the ports of the cylinders lie in substantial alignment, valve mechanism for said engine which includes a poppet valve for each port, yielding means holding said valves in port closing position, aligned opposed valve stems extending through the ports, a rock arm mounted to rock between each pair of cylinders in an are which lies in the plane of the axes of the Valve stems alternately to move the valve stems and open the valves against the effort of their respective yielding means, a foot on each side of each rock arm, a cam shaft mounted adjacent the cylinders to rotate about an axis which lies parallel with the axes of the ports and a cam on the cam shaft on each side of each rock arm for engaging a foot and oscillating the rock arms alternately to open the valves.

6. In a multiple cylinder engine of the multiple piston type in which the cylinders lie horizontally in spaced parallel relation and each cylinder has midway between opposite ends an intake port and an aligned exhaust port and the ports in the cylinders lie in substantial alignment, valve mechanism for said engine which includes a poppet valve for each port, yielding means holding said valves in port closing position, a rock arm mounted below each pair of cylinders to rock in an are between its respective pair of cylinders which are lies in the plane of the axes of the valve stems alternately to move the valve stems and open the valves against the effort of their respective yielding means, a foot on each side of each rock arm, a cam shaft mounted below the cylinders to rotate about an axis which lies parallel with the axes of the ports and a cam on the cam shaft operative below each foot on its respective side of its respective rock arm to oscillate the rock arms and alternately open the valves.

DAVID ADAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 699,503 Durr May 6, 1902 821,546 Smallbone May 22, 1906 904,556 Nelson Nov. 2 1, 1908 1,091,427 DeLukaseVics Mar. 24, 1914 

